Monett government change advances

The Monett City Council advanced changing the city’s form of government and naming downtown land as an official park during its recent meetings. 
An ordinance posing the question, “Shall a Commission be chosen to frame a charter?” and a list of candidates running for the 13 seats as charter commission members passed for placement on the April 6, 2027 ballot, the next scheduled city election. This followed action on March 12 when the council gave the measure a first reading. The process to change the government format from the three-person commission form will still require a second public vote officially changing the form of government and adopting the proposed charter in April 2028, when the terms of the current city council members expire. 
Attorney Holly Dodge with the Lauber Municipal Law firm explained getting word out now would position candidates to have an unrushed timeframe to gather the needed 68 signatures for their petitions, placing them on the ballot. Dodge said candidates could begin gathering signatures as soon as they want, as long as the signer is still a registered voter with a Monett residence when the county certifies the signatures next February. 
“We want people to understand this is the commitment [to serve],” Dodge said. She cautioned that the City of Ozark pitched a charter at its public at what she characterized as “the last minute” and ended up having voters reject it. 
Mayor Randy Burke said public meetings explaining the process would be held in September and again next spring. 
Commissioner Ken Gaspar asked to have the petitions the candidates circulate changed from portrait to landscape format, giving more room for signers to write their names and addresses. 
 
New park established
Council members approved a resolution naming city-owned property on the north side of Front Street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, as Freedom Park. City Administrator Mickey Ary recommended making the property part of the city’s park system. Gaspar suggested adding “Monett Freedom Park” to the name, which Dodge said would help avoid confusion when someone goes online trying to find it near the Freedom Silo, an established landmark. Ary said the land could be used for temporary tents for vendors during an event. 
Some confusion arose over a request to have a marker placed on the park site by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, recognizing the contribution of military service in preserving freedom. Gaspar asked if the American Legion could also participate in such a marker. David Compton, in charge of emergency management, pointed out the property purchased in a land buy-out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could not have a flagpole or anything other than a flat marker. Other such additions would constitute a water obstruction, prohibited in the buy-out. Ary noted there was an appeals process for exceptions. The resolution, however, pertained only to establishing the park. 
The question of using the land for parking came up. Gaspar told The Record that the land could be used for parking on the grass, or if the city placed permeable asphalt, a particularly expensive product, on it. 
The city still has no plans for land between Sixth and Seventh, north of Front. This was land donated to the city by Glen Garrett for flood control. Gaspar reports Parks Superintendent Larry Howard “plans to get some attention to that space.” Talk about placing flag poles or a military marker there has not yet developed into a plan. 
 
YMCA deal
At the March 12 meeting, council members passed a resolution regarding the city-owned outdoor swimming pool and its management by the Monett Area YMCA, run by the Ozarks Regional YMCA. Ary and Larry Howard, the parks superintendent, engaged in discussions with the YMCA. As a way to help relieve costs with the Y impacted by minimum wage increases, the agreement will have city staff cutting grass around the pool, Ary said. 
The final agreement for 2026 set the city’s contribution to the Y for managing the pool at $106,000. Total expense for operations was projected at $149,802, with total revenues of $42,800. Admission rates were set at $8 for an individual, $30 for a family of four or $36 for a family of up to six. The pool will operate from Memorial Day weekend through Aug. 16. 
The Y shall receive all revenues from the recreational activities it operates. The city maintains insurance as it does on all other city facilities, while the YMCA has liability insurance of $2 million. The YMCA pays up to $15,000 for chemicals for the aquatic center, after which the city will pick up additional costs. 
 
Golf course fee formula changes
In other park-related business, Ary reported Randy Grant had been hired as the new golf course clubhouse director. The director, parks superintendent and the parks commissioner were named in a resolution as the Windmill Ridge Golf Course governing body and given the authority to “use area municipal golf rates and fees to assist in the setting of the fee structure” for the course. This removes the city council from annually setting rates. 
“This gives flexibility to listen to customers to make our golf course an amenity we’re proud of,” Ary said. 
Council members also approved a resolution to accept a dock for the South Park Lake, donated by EZ Dock. The company last year donated use of a dock for the annual Kids Fishing Derby, now run by the Southwest Missouri Wild Game Feed organization. Placed on the north side of the lake by the parking area, the dock will become a permanent structure. Ary said the dock will be installed in mid-May and would be maintained by the city. 
In his report at the April 9 meeting, Ary reported Parks Superintendent Larry Howard has begun planting to create a Monett botanical garden adjacent to the historic rose garden north of the South Park lake.